


The Magic Man

by ElizaSam



Series: Anchor's Away! (Malec) [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Comforting Magnus Bane, Confident Magnus Bane, Cruise Ships, Game Shows, Gay Disaster Alec Lightwood, M/M, Wingman Izzy, basically Magnus is so gorgeous that Alec stops functioning, let's see how this plays out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23323306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaSam/pseuds/ElizaSam
Summary: Alec is enjoying his cruise vacation when he's roped into participating in a love game show.It's stupid and dumb and- who is he?!
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Malec - Relationship
Series: Anchor's Away! (Malec) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677286
Comments: 3
Kudos: 42
Collections: Malec One Shots





	The Magic Man

It’s day three of the Lightwoods’ week-long cruise vacation, and Alec is having a marvelous time.

He’s had 24/7 access to the fitness center, attempted to tan his forever pasty skin, played shuffleboard with his parents, and watched both of his siblings drunkenly participate in the midnight karaoke events. 

However, the last way he’d planned on spending his night was at the ship’s evening entertainment show “Meeting Mr. Right.”

~

“Alec!” Izzy is standing at the top of the auditorium’s stairs, hand raised in greeting. “You’re late! I thought you were going to miss the show!”

“I would never purposely miss this… public attempt at getting people to bone,” Alec replies dryly, eyebrows raised. “Remind me why I’m here?”

“Because this is family vacation, and you’re part of that.” Maryse’s voice comes from the center of the row. She has a program for the show in her lap and a tube of lipstick in hand.

“Of course, Mother.”

Begrudgingly, Alec slides into the last chair in the row besides Jace. He wishes that Max was there as an excuse to bolt, but his younger brother had been forced to sit family vacation out for summer school. The little rascal had “accidently” set fire to the class’s art display during a chemistry experiment and conveniently destroyed his own lacking picture… along with all twenty-five of his classmates’ pictures as well.

Lucky kid- at least he wasn’t being forced to watch people throw themselves at each other.

Tonight’s show had been audience voted, and “Meeting Mr. Right” had won by a landslide. At least he wouldn’t be forced to personally endure the embarrassment. While Alec’s family had be more than supportive of his coming out, he doubted that the cruise crew would risk their show with a gay man. No, Alec was certainly in the clear.

“Alright everyone, let’s settle down!” The room’s chatter quickly fades, and a woman with fiery hair steps onto the stage. “My name’s Clary, and I’ll be your host for the show. Let’s meet tonight’s eligible bachelor!”

Spotlights swirl throughout the room, stopping on various people before flitting away to the next. Finally, they coalesce near the left of the stage, music stopping as a man of medium build is prompted to stand. He is wearing a silk shirt unbuttoned to the naval, but Alec cannot tell much beyond that.

“Hello!” Clary quickly walks down the stage steps and stops in front of the man. “What is your name, sir?”

“Magnus. Magnus Bane.”

“Well Magnus, how are you doing tonight?”

“A little toasty, now,” he replies, “I wasn’t expecting to be spotlighted.” The audience chuckles at his joke, and Alec catches the flash of something silver on the man’s ear. Is that an earring?

Clary smiles. “The lights seemed to like you though! Are you single?”

“Yes!” The audience laughs again as a woman seated beside Magnus practically screams the answer. “He is very much single!”

“Well, I’d say that answers that question! Magnus, how would you like to be tonight’s Mr. Right?”

The man pauses for a moment, clearly deliberating. Even from Alec’s far distance away, he can see as Magnus’s friend pokes him in the back, urging him on. “Why not?” Magnus replies, shooing his friend’s hand away. “But I’m going to have to insist on a different name. Mr. Right is far too ordinary. How about Magic Man?”

“I think we have ourselves a deal!” Clary announces, leading Magnus up to the stage. He’s followed by a few hollers coming from his friend’s direction before settling onto a tall stool on the side of the stage. “Now, why don’t we find this charming young man some company?” The crowd applauds, and Clary sends a blinding smile in Magnus’s direction.

“I think this girl wants him for herself,” Alec mutters.

“Nah man, he doesn’t seem like her type,” Jace replies, completely unaware of his brother’s rhetorical statement. His eyes are glued to the red head. “He’s too- too- you know? And she’s so- so...”

“Yeah, man.” But Alec can’t seem to pull his eyes from the stage either, or more specifically the dark-haired main sitting front and center. There’s that flash of silver again, and he notes that it isn’t on the ear lobe as an earring would be. It is situated higher up, almost like a bobby pin or a stray piece of glitter. But from a distance, it’s impossible to actually tell.

The lights are searching again, and the Lightwoods watch as one, two, three girls are pulled from the audience. Each greets Magnus on stage before taking a seat on one of the chairs.

There’s one empty chair left.

The lights move again, and Alec feels their heat wash over his head, pausing. His breath speeds up, and he looks to the stage- and then it’s moving away. One, two seats down to Izzy.

“Hello! What’s your name?” From the stage, Clary gestures toward Izzy, and an attendant appears with a microphone.

Izzy stands, dark hair falling in waves down her back. Her eyes are piercing and strong behind smoky eyeshadow, and the heels make her appear taller and more mature. Between the black dress and red lipstick, Alec is in awe of his sister for the umpteenth time.

“My name is Isabelle, but I’m afraid that I am already spoken for,” she replies, sending Magnus a wry smile. He nods and waves in response as she begins to sit back down.

“What a shame!” Clary says, recapturing the room’s attention. “Well Magnus, let’s find you another lovely lady-”

“Or man,” Magnus cuts in, sending a bright smile into the audience. It is boyish and teasing, and Alec’s breath catches. What he wouldn’t give for it to be directed at him.

“Sorry?”

Magnus turns to Clary. “I’m bi. So if you wanted to throw a guy up here, I certainly won’t be put out.”

She nods. “Let’s find us a lucky man, then! Can we have the lights search agai-”

“I HAVE A BROTHER!” Izzy’s voice booms over the audience, and everyone spins in the Lightwoods’ direction. While slightly embarrassing, they’ve endured worse. And really, Izzy should never be left with a microphone and no supervision.

“A brother?” Clary asks, once again directing attention to Izzy.

Izzy nods, standing to address Clary. “Well, technically three, but only one is around Magnus’s age.”

“Who is this brother of yours? Does he fit any of the other, er, criteria?” Clary’s voice hits a false note, a clear indication that she’d like to be moving on. “Magnus may be your brother’s age, but that doesn’t mean he’s his type.”

“Oh, he is.” Izzy says confidently, and then she’s reaching over Jace. “Alec?”

It takes a full ten seconds for Alec to realize that all attention has turned to him. Jace is staring in his direction, as are his mother and father. Ahead, Clary is looking at him expectantly, and every set of eyes in the room is staring back into his own. There’s a prickle of sweat, right near his temple, as multiple spotlights burn down, and a microphone is being pushed into his face.

“Uh, what?”

“Hello, Alec.” Clary waves from stage, face quickly morphing into a smile. “Is this true? Do you meet Magnus’s…criteria?”

“Uh, I’m gay if that’s what you’re asking.” Alec looks toward the stage, and he meets the eyes of Magnus. The silk of his shirt looks soft and contrasts with hair balanced between spiky and mussed. Dark eyes meet his own, piercing and rimmed in kohl. “Yea- definitely gay.”

The audience laughs at the addition to his statement, and he blushes.

“I’d like to cut in and say that Alec most certainly meets my criteria.” Magnus’s words are accompanied by a smirk, the double meaning lost on nobody. “What do you say, pretty boy? Will you join me?” 

“Uh- I, uh- sure.” 

The words have barely left Alec’s mouth before he’s being ushered out of his seat. The attendant directs him down a dark hallway to the backstage area, quickly attaching a mic to his shirt. She looks unimpressed by his lack of dressy clothing, but hey, if Alec had known he’d be meeting one of the most mesmerizing men on the ship, he might have dressed up a bit more. 

A hand pushes him forward, and bright lights cause him to squint. However, he freezes after adjusting, focusing on row upon row of expectant, romantic faces. 

“Ah, crap. Shit, nope. I’m- I’m out,” Alec mutters, unaware that the sound of his mic had already been turned on. 

He turns, prepared to escape into the bliss of backstage darkness, where nobody is watching him or expecting him to be charming, when a hand grabs his wrist. 

“Hey, where are you going?” Magnus’s voice is soft and comforting, his hand sliding up Alec’s arm and turning him around. “Is everything okay?”

“Uh, I- uh-” 

“Hang on a sec.” Grabbing Alec’s hips, Magnus twists him slightly to access the mic settled in Alec’s waistband. He flips the switch off before meeting Alec’s eyes once more. “There. Are you okay?”

It takes Alec a second to answer. He can still feel the heat from Magnus’s hands clasped around his waist and the soft breath against the side of his neck. “I’m- I’m okay,” he replies, eyes half-lidded as he inhales the light, yet complex scent of Magnus’s cologne. “I just, I don’t think this is really my thing.” 

“And why is that?” Magnus asks, thumbs rubbing comfortingly over the hand he has clasped between his own. A smile flits across his face. “Seems to me we could be quite the pair.” 

“Yeah, you seem like a great guy, and-”

“Great guy. Is that all I get?” Magnus’s voice is teasing. 

Alec gulped, the heat from the other man’s hands and overall closeness affecting him. What would it be like to be wrapped in his arms? “Well, I mean, you’re obviously gorgeous and, like, way out of my league, but I meant the stage and all. I don’t- I don’t do public stuff.” 

“So does that mean no PDA? Darn.”

“See,” Alec says, gesturing between the two with his spare hand, “that’s what I mean. I’m not good at the whole flirty thing, and I definitely can’t flirt with you in front of an audience. It’s not- It’s not going to work out.”

“Excuse me?” Clary’s head pops through the curtains, looking first at Magnus and then Alec. “I don’t mean to rush y’all, but we kind of need to get a move on. Alec, we’d love to have you, but if not, I need to find another guy for Magnus.” 

“Another guy?”

“Yes, we’ll just search the audience again. I’m sure we can find another person willing to date Mag-”

“I’ll do it!” Clary and Magnus’s head whip in Alec’s direction, surprise clear on both faces. But whether that was due to his agreement or his volume, Alec would never know. He’d blurted it out so loud that Izzy could probably hear it back up in her seat. 

“Wonderful, Alec. Wait until Magnus leaves, and then you can come out a minute later. We wouldn’t want anyone to think that you’re getting a lead on our Magic Man.” With a wink and a wave, she’s gone. 

Alec runs a hand through his hair, beginning to pace. “Crap, what have I just done?” What _had _he just done? Agree to compete against three other beautiful girls? For Magnus’s heart? “Dear god, this is a disaster.”__

__“Well, then I think you are a very cute disaster, Alec.” Warm hands press against Alec’s arms, stopping his paces, and Magnus looks deeply into his eyes. “Why did you say yes, if you don’t mind me asking? And so… abruptly?”_ _

__“I- ah geez, Magnus.” It’s difficult to keep Magnus’s eye contact so long, his chocolatey orbs deep and flecked with gold. “I don’t know, I just didn’t want her to find you someone else. I just, I guess I just wanted a shot with you.”_ _

__“And do you still?”_ _

__Alec sighs. “Honestly, yeah. But I don’t think it’s going to go well. I’m not exactly… smooth.” He winces, gesturing between the two._ _

__“I tell you what,” Magnus says, leaning in. His body is warm, and his face open. “How would you like to do something tomorrow evening, no matter how this all turns out?”_ _

__“Really? Like, like a date?”_ _

__Magnus smiles, pressing a quick kiss to Alec’s cheek. “Exactly like a date.” At Alec’s bashful nod, he squeezes the arms still wrapped in his palms. “Wonderful. Now, I’ll see you out there in a minute. Have fun, and know that you’ve got me for at least another day no matter what your performance.” With another squeeze and a wink, Magnus disappears through the curtains._ _

__Alec lets out a breath, allowing the grin to spread across his face. “I have a date,” he whispers, trying out the words on his tongue. They didn’t cross it very often. “I have a date tomorrow night… with Magnus. We’re going to go on a date. He’s gonna-”_ _

__A young woman wearing a headset gently pushes Alec forward, ending his rapidly expanding train of thought._ _

__Foregoing any additional thoughts, Alec squares his shoulders and steps onto the stage._ _

**Author's Note:**

> I'm planning to do a cruise-themed series...
> 
> I'd love to hear ideas or suggestions of what you think the Lightwood family and Magnus (duh) would be doing!


End file.
